NextAuth.js
NextAuth.js is an open source authentication library for JavaScript applications, particularly Next.js, handling sign-in with OAuth providers, email links, credentials and session management. Development stalled after it was renamed Auth.js and its main maintainer left in January 2025, leaving the project effectively unmaintained; Better Auth, a newer commercially backed authentication project, took over stewardship of Auth.js on 22 September 2025 to keep it receiving security patches while steering new users toward Better Auth itself.
Facts checked on against the sources listed at the end of this page.
Newer version available. NextAuth.js was renamed Auth.js during a long-running v5 beta that began in 2023 and never reached a stable release; its main maintainer left in January 2025, leaving the project effectively unmaintained. On 22 September 2025, Better Auth, a newer commercially backed open source auth project, took over stewardship to keep Auth.js from being fully abandoned, providing security patches but recommending new projects use Better Auth instead. No forced migration is required for existing users.
- Pricing
- Open sourceFree plan: Yes, NextAuth.js / Auth.js is completely free
- Open source
- YesISC
- GitHub stars
- 28,370
- npm downloads a week
- 7.8Mup 14% on the week before
- Latest release
- [email protected]…2 months ago
- Releases in 90 days
- 4about 1 a month
A good fit for
- Existing projects already using NextAuth.js that don't need to migrate immediately, since security patches continue
- Learning how session-based and OAuth authentication works in a Next.js application
- Small projects that want a free, self-hosted authentication library rather than a managed auth service
Not a good fit for
- New projects starting fresh, where the project's own documentation now recommends Better Auth instead
- Teams that need active feature development, given the project's maintenance has slowed significantly since early 2025
- Anyone wanting a managed, hosted authentication service rather than a self-hosted library, where products like Clerk, Auth0 or WorkOS may fit better
NextAuth.js pricing
NextAuth.js / Auth.js is completely free and open source. There's no paid tier for the library itself.
Prices in USD, checked on 27 September 2026. Current prices on authjs.dev.
Main features
- OAuth providers
- Built-in support for signing in with Google, GitHub and many other OAuth providers.
- Passwordless email sign-in
- Magic-link style authentication via email.
- Credentials provider
- Custom username/password or other credential-based authentication.
- Session management
- Built-in session and JWT handling integrated with framework routing.
- Framework adapters
- Official support for Next.js, SvelteKit, Express and Qwik, among others.
- Database adapters
- Adapters for storing sessions and users in various databases.
About NextAuth.js
NextAuth.js provides authentication for JavaScript applications, most notably Next.js, supporting sign-in through OAuth providers (Google, GitHub and many others), passwordless email links, and custom credentials, along with session and JWT handling built into the framework's routing conventions.
The project was renamed Auth.js during a version 5 rewrite that began in 2023 but stayed in beta for years without reaching a stable release, and its main maintainer departed in January 2025, leaving development effectively stalled.
On 22 September 2025, Better Auth, a newer, commercially backed open source authentication library, took over stewardship of Auth.js to keep it from being fully abandoned. Auth.js continues to receive security patches, but its documentation now points new users toward Better Auth, positioning it as the practical successor; existing Auth.js users are not forced to migrate.
- Made by
- Auth.js open source project (stewarded by Better Auth)
- Free plan
- Yes, NextAuth.js / Auth.js is completely free
- Available on
- Next.js, React, SvelteKit, Express, Qwik
Usage and activity
Weekly npm downloads of next-auth, last 12 months.
Recent releases
- [email protected]Pre-release, 2 months ago
- [email protected]2 months ago
- @auth/[email protected]2 months ago
- @auth/[email protected]2 months ago
- @auth/[email protected]2 months ago
NextAuth.js alternatives
NextAuth.js compared
Questions about NextAuth.js
Is NextAuth.js still maintained?
It receives security patches under stewardship from the Better Auth team, but active feature development has slowed significantly since its main maintainer left in January 2025. New projects are generally pointed toward Better Auth instead.
What's the difference between NextAuth.js and Auth.js?
Auth.js is the renamed version of NextAuth.js from its version 5 rewrite, which began in 2023 and stayed in beta for years without a stable release.
Do I need to migrate away from NextAuth.js?
No, there's no forced migration. Existing projects continue to receive security patches, though the project's documentation recommends Better Auth for new projects.
Is NextAuth.js free?
Yes, it's completely free and open source.
Sources and links
Work on NextAuth.js? Claim this listing. Something wrong or out of date? Suggest a correction. Stats come from the public GitHub and npm APIs and update every day.